Key system for clarinets



J. C. FLEMING.

KEY SYSTEM FOR CLARINETS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. 1919.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

JAMES C. FLEMING, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

KEY SYSTEM FOR CLABINETS.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

Application filed May 14, 1919. Serial No. 296,990.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES C. FLEMING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key Systems for Clarinets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention, which relates generally to certain improvements in key systems for clarinets and other like instruments, primarily has for its object to provide a new and improved arrangement of key systems that is more especially designed to eliminate the awkward fingering of the notes G, G sharp, A, A sharp, B and C written on the staff and as fingered on the ordinary instruments, by eliminating the thumb hole for G and the key for G sharp,-A and A sharp and the awkward jump from A sharp to B which, as known to all skilled in the use of clarinets and like instruments, is a difiicult'run, and that most of the trills'in that run are either very difficult or impossi bleof execution.

Another and essential feature of my vention consists in anew and improved arrangement of the key and fingering systems of the lower section of the clarinet, particularly for retaining the covers for the ings which give ,G, A and B, at their closed position by means other than with the fingers of the righthand, to thereby leave the fingers of the right hand free for conveniently, with perfect execution, operating other covers included in my improved key system by their respective finger keys and also for operating the intermediate keys, not shown in the drawing.

Again, my improved key system for clarinets has for'its purpose the lengthening of the instrument and added keys, whereby the compass of the instrument is extended downward a major third and thereby giving the instrument a. compass of four octaves.

With other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, my invention consists of the peculiar features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts that consti tute my key system, all of which will be fully stated in the following detail description, specifically pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichi m .v

Figure 1 is'afr'a entary'view of a clari net and more particularly illustrates the section thereof upon which my improved key system is applied and the said view shows that side which is uppermost, when holding the instrument for playing.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of some of the parts shown in Fig. 1, and looking in the direction'of the arrow at, parts beingshown in section.

Fig. 3 is a cross section thereof taken on the line 3-3 on Fig. 2, looking in the (1%- rection of the arrow.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the rock shaft that cooperates with the cover closure devices on which the sleeves are mounted for the covers 1, 2 and 3 hereinafter specifically referred to.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of one of the cover operatingsleeves.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic vie-wwhich illus trates a run of tones, very awkward to make on the ordinary clarinet and easily executed with my improved system.

In order to give a clearer understanding of my improvements, the accompanying drawing illustrates only so much of the clarinet and as many of the tone holes, covers and operating keys therefor, as are "essential for disclosing the structural arrangement of the cooperating parts and the manner in which the said parts are to be ma- I nipulated, when using the instrument, it being understood that my invention is applied upon the lower section of the'clarinet that has the usual joint or for connecting with an upper section of the instrument and a joint 5 at the lower end for connecting "with the usual bell section.

1, 2 and 3 designate the hole covers or pads for the holes that givethe tones G, A and B on the staff. The said covers 1, 2 and 3, in my-improved key system, are adapted for being retained in their closed position by means other than the fingers of the right hand, as is required in the ordinary key arrangement of clarinets, to thereby leave the said fingers of the right hand free to operate the keys placed below on the instrument, as will be presently explained, which keys are designated as', 5, 6, 8 and 9 on the drawing.

30, 31 and 32 denote the finger pieces for is normally closed by its spring, while the other covers are normally held open by their respective springs in the usual manner.v

The keys and covers for the semi-tones (namely sharps and flats) are not indicated on the drawing, since they are not novel and their arrangement is clearly understood by those familiar with instruments of the kind referred to.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, it will be noticed that each of the covers 1, 2 and 3 is connected with and extends laterally from a sleeve, the several sleeves being designated 10, 20 and 21, and each of the said sleeves is loosely mounted upon a rock shaft 11, which shaft is journaled in suitable bearings 12-12 on the tubular body of the instrument.

By reason of the peculiar arrangement of the parts so far described, in running down the scale, after closing the covers 1, 2 and 3 with the respective finger pieces, using the first, second and third fingers of the right hand respectively, the said covers may be retained in their closed position by means of a thumb piece 33, the construction of which is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The thumb piece rocks the shaft 11 and thereby causes the arms of the covers 1, 2 and 3 to remain in closed position, thus leaving the fingers of the right hand free to work the covers 41, 5, 6,7, 8 and 9 by'their respective finger pieces.

The rock shaft 11 is normally rotated, under tension of a spring 11', that engages the said shaft and the tubular body section upon which the shaft is journaled. Theshaft 11 has laterally projecting pins 13, one for each sleeve and the pins engage with the cover carrying arm on each of their respectivesleeves in such manner that, when the shaft is rocked against the spring tension, in the manner presently explained, the several covers 1, 2 and 3 are simultaneously swung inward to close the tone holes G, A and B.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 3 of the drawing, it will be readily understood, as the thumb piece is depressed, as indicated by the arrow, the covers 1, 2 and 3 are held to their closed position and that, when thumb pressure is removed, they are thrown back to the open position by means of their respective spring, it being understood that the fingers of the right hand are used to operate the keys for the semi-tones on this section of the instrument.

By my key system, arranged as hereinbefore described, the awkward fingering of the run, illustrated by Fig. 6 of the drawing, is not only eliminated but the said run is easily and accurately made with the added result that better tones are obtained for the G, G sharp, A, A sharp than is possible with the ordinary clarinets.

Furthermore, by extending the length of the instrument downward and adding four keys, the compass of the instrument is extended downward a major third, as before mentioned.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it is believed that the complete arrangement of my key system, the method of its use and the advantages thereof will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates.

What I claim is:

1. In a clarinet or like instrument, a body portion having tone openings, a key operated cover for each of the said openings, a rock shaft, each of the covers having an attached sleeve mounted on the rock shaft, a device that operates with the rock shaft and turns the said shaft in a direction for holding the covers to the tone holes in open position, connections between the shaft and the sleeves mounted on the rock shaft for turning all of the sleeves to move their covers to the open position, and a thumb key for efl'ecting rotation of the shaft and the sleeves thereon to hold the covers attached to the said sleeves in their tone holes closing position.

2. In a clarinet or like instrument, a body portion having G, A and B tone openings, a cover for each of the said openings, a rock shaft, each of the covers having an attached sleeve mounted on the rock shaft, a device that operates with the rock shaft and turns the said shaft in a direction for holding the covers for the tone holes in open position, connections between the shaft and the sleeves mounted on the rock shaft for turning all of the sleeves to move their covers to the open position, and a thumb operated key for effecting rotation of the rock shaft and the sleeves thereon to hold the covers attached to the said sleeves in their tone holes closing position, the said thumb operated key being horizontally pivoted on the instrument body and including a heel that engages with a crank fixedly secured on the rock shaft, the said parts being relatively so arranged whereby the fingers of that hand that operates the said thumb key are left free for pperating keys other than the G, A and B zeys.

3. In a clarinet or like instrument, a body portion having G, A and B tone openings, a cover for each of said openings, a rock shaft, a sleeve attached to each of the covers, all of the said sleeves being mounted on the rock shaft, a device that operates with the rock shaft and turns the said shaft in a direction forholding the covers for the tone holes in open position, connections between the shaft and t e sleeves mounted on the rock shaft for turning all of the sleeves to move their covers to the open position, and a thumb operated key for effecting rotation of the shaft and the sleeves thereon, whereby to move the covers attached to the said sleeves to their tone holes closing position, the said thumb operated key being mounted on the instrument body and including a crank portion for engaging with a crank member fixedly secured to the rock shaft, the said parts being relatively arranged whereby the fingers of the hand that operates the said thumb key are left free for operating other tone holes, cover operating keys located to be actuated by the first, second and third fingers of the said hand, as set forth.

4. In a clarinet or like instrument, a body portion having G, A and B tone holes in the lower section and having other tone holes, a cover for each tone hole, means that nor mally hold the covers for the G, A and B holes in the lower section open, other means adapted for being actuated by a digit of the right hand for simultaneously closing the covers for the said G, A and B tone holes, whereby to leave the other digits of the right hand free for actuating the said other tone hole covers.

5. In a clarinet or like instrument, an extended body portion having G, A and B tone holes in the lower section and having other tone holes, a cover for each tone hole, an operating key for each cover, the said keys being individually finger actuated to close their respective covers for the G, A and B tone holes, a key positioned to be actuated by the thumb of the right hand and connections between the said thumb actuated key and the other finger operated keys for closing the covers for the said G, A and B tone holes, whereby to simultaneously hold the said keys and the covers in the closed position, as the fingers that operate the said keys and covers are left free for playing keys for other tone holes.

JAMES C. FLEMING.

lVitness CHARLES E. TREADWELL. 

